Shivă Tandav Stotram – my poetic version in English
Shivă Tandav Stotram is an iconic hymn, attributed to Ravană. I have attempted to translate the Shiva Tandav Stotram into English verse. It is not quite possible to get the wonderful cadence of the original Sanskrit in the English version, or to translate it entirely literally, but I have tried to stay as close to the original meaning as possible.
Verse 1
जटाटवीगलज्जलप्रवाहपावितस्थले
गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम् ।
डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं
चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम् ॥१॥
Down the forest of his tangled locks, sacred waters hum
Damad, damad, damad, damad, beating his drum
A serpent at his throat; we hear the damru sound
He dances the Tandava. Shivah Shivam all around
Verse 2
जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरी-
विलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्धनि ।
धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके
किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम ॥२॥
In the cauldron of his locks, the celestial river swirls
Dhagad dhagad on his brow, the blazing fire whirls
Restless waves, like trailing vines, adorn his radiant head
Crescent moon at his crest; to him my heart is wedShivah Shivam,
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 3
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुर-
स्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्ततिप्रमोदमानमानसे ।
कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि
क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि ॥३॥
His heart revels in Parvati's beautifully wonderful grace
His compassion stems calamities none else can face
All Quarters of the world shine, when by him are blest
In that sky-clothed one, may my mind find its rest
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 4
जटाभुजङ्गपिङ्गलस्फुरत्फणामणिप्रभा-
कदम्बकुङ्कुमद्रवप्रलिप्तदिग्वधूमुखे ।
मदान्धसिन्धुरस्फुरत्त्वगुत्तरीयमेदुरे
मनो विनोदमद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि ॥४॥
Jewels on his serpents' hoods cast gold & crimson light
Painting all the Quarters, as kadamba-saffron on a bride
Who wraps himself in a rampaging tusker's hide
In him, the Lord of every being, let my mind reside
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 5
सहस्रलोचनप्रभृत्यशेषलेखशेखर-
प्रसूनधूलिधोरणी विधूसराङ्घ्रिपीठभूः ।
भुजङ्गराजमालया निबद्धजाटजूटकः
श्रियै चिराय जायतां चकोरबन्धुशेखरः ॥५॥
When Indra and other gods bow down, flowers in their hair
Shed golden pollen on his feet and dust his footstool there
He whose tresses the serpent-king holds with care
May the moon-crowned Lord, his lasting blessings share
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam,….
Verse 6
ललाटचत्वरज्वलद्धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभा-
निपीतपञ्चसायकं नमन्निलिम्पनायकम् ।
सुधामयूखलेखया विराजमानशेखरं
महाकपालि सम्पदे शिरो जटालमस्तु नः ॥६॥
The fire sparking on his brow consumes the God of Love
Where the cool crescent moon shines, nectar-rayed above
Even Indra bows before that skull-bearer sublime
May that matted crown bless us all the time
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 7
करालभालपट्टिकाधगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वल-
द्धनञ्जयाहुतीकृतप्रचण्डपञ्चसायके ।
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीकुचाग्रचित्रपत्रक-
प्रकल्पनैकशिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम ॥७॥
The God of Love he offered to the sacrificial fire
Dhagad, dhagad, dhagad dhagad — a fate dire
Yet alone, on Parvati, with tenderness benign
He paints leaf patterns, my Triple-eyed divine
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 8
नवीनमेघमण्डलीनिरुद्धदुर्धरस्फुरत्-
कुहूनिशीथिनीतमःप्रबन्धबद्धकन्धरः
निलिम्पनिर्झरीधरस्तनोतु कृत्तिसिन्धुरः
कलानिधानबन्धुरः श्रियं जगद्धुरन्धरः ॥८॥
His throat is dark as moonless night under clouds dense
Storm on storm piled thick, impenetrable, intense
He wears the elephant’s hide, bears the celestial river
World-bearer, moon-crowned, may he be our wealth-giver
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 9
प्रफुल्लनीलपङ्कजप्रपञ्चकालिमप्रभा-
वलम्बिकण्ठकन्दलीरुचिप्रबद्धकन्धरम् ।
स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं
गजच्छिदान्धकच्छिदं तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे ॥९॥
His throat glows, a deep blue lotus in full bloom;
He conquered Yama, the deva of death & gloom
He crushed Kama & Andhak & burned cities three,
He slew the elephant demon: Lord, I worship thee
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 10
अखर्वसर्वमङ्गलाकलाकदम्बमञ्जरी-
रसप्रवाहमाधुरीविजृम्भणामधुव्रतम् ।
स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं
गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं तमन्तकान्तकं भजे ॥१०॥
A bee he is, sipping the sweetness of nectar divine
I worship him who ends desire, Tripura, re-birth mine
In all the great arts of Parvati, the All-Auspicious One
And Sacrifice, Gajasur, Yama, all else under the sun
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 11
जयत्वदभ्रविभ्रमभ्रमद्भुजङ्गमश्वस-
द्विनिर्गमत्क्रमस्फुरत्करालभालहव्यवाट् ।
धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गल-
ध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तितप्रचण्डताण्डवः शिवः ॥११॥
Victory to Shivă! Round him whirl serpents that abound
The fire upon his brow flares high with his damru sound
Dhimid, dhimid, it booms, in a loud auspicious trance
And to its rhythm he whirls in his furious Tandava dance
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 12
दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजो-
र्गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः ।
तृणारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः
समप्रवृत्तिकः कदा सदाशिवं भजाम्यहम् ॥१२॥
A silken couch, a serpent, a string of pearls, or a mere stone
A blade of grass, lotus eyes, a monarch or one unknown
A friend, a foe, a lump of clay or the costliest gem
When shall I worship Shivă, and see the same in them
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 13
कदा निलिम्पनिर्झरीनिकुञ्जकोटरे वसन्
विमुक्तदुर्मतिः सदा शिरःस्थमञ्जलिं वहन् ।
विलोललोललोचनो ललामभाललग्नकः
शिवेति मन्त्रमुच्चरन् कदा सुखी भवाम्यहम् ॥१३॥
When shall I dwell in a grove by sacred Ganga's shore
Eyes moist, mind on Shivă, with my heart pure
With folded hands, without evil thoughts in my mind
Chanting ‘Shivă, Shivă’, eternal bliss will I find
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 14
इमं हि नित्यमेवमुक्तमुत्तमोत्तमं स्तवं
पठन्स्मरन्ब्रुवन्नरो विशुद्धिमेति सन्ततम् ।
हरे गुरौ सुभक्तिमाशु याति नान्यथा गतिं
विमोहनं हि देहिनां सुशङ्करस्य चिन्तनम् ॥१४॥
Whoever recites this daily or holds it in his heart
Or reads this best of hymns, will no longer be apart
He gains Shivă’s grace, and becomes blissfully pure
For thinking of Shankara is delusion’s cure
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
Verse 15
पूजावसानसमये दशवक्त्रगीतं
यः शम्भुपूजनपरं पठति प्रदोषे ।
तस्य स्थिरां रथगजेन्द्रतुरङ्गयुक्तां
लक्ष्मीं सदैव सुमुखीं प्रददाति शम्भुः ॥१५॥
At twilight, when worship ends, whoever sings this song
That Ravană once sang in praise of Shambhu's all along
To him Shivă gives a fortune, smiling at his bountiful feat
With chariots, elephants & steeds, his wealth complete
Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam, Shivah Shivam….
********
Kishore Asthana
25.10.26